We found best 3 hoverboards avoid ones explode

By Gmechu Taye— August 9, 2016 

 

We know, we know. Technically, these boards don’t actually hover, but “hands-free scooter” just doesn’t sound as cool. It’s been a tough few years for the hoverboard industry, as the damn things just won’t stop catching fire. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, hoverboard-related fires between December and February were responsible for more than $2 million in property damages nationwide. Some college campuses and airlines have banned self-balancing scooters altogether, and the United Kingdom has completely outlawed their use in any public space.

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With all this negative publicity, you might wonder, “why buy a hoverboard?” Uh, because they’re awesome. These motorized, self-balancing devices are easy to pick up and tons of fun to ride, and, honestly, the hardest thing about a hoverboard is trying to look cool while riding it. These puppies can actually be considered an effective mode of transportation, capable of reaching speeds close to 10 mph and “hovering” for nearly 20 miles on a single charge. Best of all, there are finally self-balancing scooters on the market that are guaranteed not to explode violently at your feet! Amazon even rescinded its February decision to cease hoverboard distribution. With that in mind, here are our picks for the best — and least explode-y — hoverboards on the market.

SwagTron T1 ($400) or T3 ($500)

X1, the flagship offering from Indiana-based Swagway, offered an unmatched blend of safety and speed for an extremely reasonable price. Unfortunately, the X1 wasn’t certified safe, making it a risky option for potential ‘boarders out there. Luckily, Swagway went the whole nine yards with their newest scooter, the Swagtron. Working together with Underwriters Laboratories (UL, a safety consultation company approved by OSHA for safety testing and certification), the Swagtron has been certified safe under UL 2272. Capable of reaching speeds of 10 mph and carrying passengers up to 220 pounds, the Swagtron’s battery can last for up to 12 miles on a full charge — though don’t expect to get that much mileage out of it if you’re maxing out the speedometer. The T1, available for $399, is basically a safety-certified version of the X1. The T3, on the other hand, is a little more badass; if you shell out the extra $100, it comes complete with a built-in Bluetooth speaker and an updated, matte finish. Both Swagtron models are now available on Amazon.

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SWAGTRON T1 SWAGTRON T3

Segway MiniPro ($999)

Okay, so this guy isn’t exactly what you were expecting. The MiniPro blends the typical self-balancing scooter with the Segway flagship scooter to create a hands-free personal transportation device that’s truly one of a kind. The MiniPro’s unique knee steering bar — adjustable from 20 inches up to 34 inches high — allows the rider to turn by simply leaning into the knee pads, and simultaneously provides a sense of stability and balance. The knee bar is detachable for storage and transportation purposes, but the board won’t function without it.

Capable of carrying up to 220 pounds and traveling around 14 miles on a full charge, the MiniPro offers a simpler, safer experience than your average hoverboard. The MiniPro also works in concert with a Bluetooth app that lets you customize the color and pattern of the scooter’s taillights, as well as providing antitheft security and data for your most recent trip. Oh, and you can control the scooter remotely from the app. The MiniPro is also UL 2272 certified, so you won’t need to worry about your personal scooter unexpectedly turning into a personal rocket launcher.

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AMAZON

Kiwano KO-X ($499)

Touted by Kiwano as the “world’s first smart connected scooter,” the KO-X has it all. The water-resistant scooter — which looks like a cross between a hoverboard and an ATV — boasts a Bluetooth speaker, rugged all-terrain tires, and a dedicated mobile app that allows you to track metrics such as speed, distance traveled, and battery life. It’s capable of reaching a whopping 15.5 mph, too, which is surprising given the scooter’s modest price point. Moreover, all KO-X boards come outfitted with high-quality Samsung electronics and batteries, thus ensuring they won’t explode at your feet — or while on the charger. An update posted on the Kiwano website in June confirmed the board’s UL 2272 certification. The only drawback, from our perspective, is the relative size and style of the KO-X; this is a heavy-duty scooter, and it’s not as svelte as the other boards on this list. Check out our full-length preview here.

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WE FOUND THE BEST 3 HOVERBOARDS (AND HOW TO AVOID THE ONES THAT EXPLODE)

Important things to know about hoverboards

Let’s be real here. The self-balancing scooter — or ‘hoverboard’, if you will — is the ultimate first-world toy. Complaining when your hoverboard turns out to be faulty is like complaining that the jets in your jacuzzi are too difficult to operate, but it’s understandably frustrating when you shell out hundreds of dollars on a gadget only to have it blow up in your face (literally, in some cases).

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Your best bet is to make sure the ‘board you’re buying is certified under UL 2722. The labs put these toys through a rigorous series of inspections to make sure they’re safe; below is a list of tests that UL requires to certify a scooter under UL 2722 (Electrical Systems for Self-Balancing Scooters).

Note: This list was sourced from the “UL/Safety” tab from the SwagTron T3 Hoverboard site. These tests are strictly meant to ensure the safety of the device from an electrical and flame retardancy perspective. They do not evaluate for performance, reliability, or rider safety.

• Overcharge Test
• Short Circuit Test
• Over discharge Test
• Temperature Test (Determines the failure temperature of a product.)
• Imbalanced Charging Test
• Dielectric Voltage Test
• Isolation Resistance Test (Testing Isolation Transformer.)
• Vibration Test
• Shock Test
• Crash Test
• Drop Test
• Mold Stress Test
• Water Exposer Test
• Thermal Cycling Test (Testing the effects of extreme differential temperature change.)
• Label Performance Test (Comparing products against other leading brands.)
• Strain Relief Tests
• Motor Overload Test
• Motor Locked Rotor
• 20mm End Product Flame (Test that determines flame resistance.)

There are several brands and different types of scooters out there that haven’t yet been certified under UL 2272. Beijing-based Ninebot — which acquired Segway in 2015 — has their own line of scooters called the Ninebot One, which look like some kind of cross between a unicycle and the rolling ‘droideka’ battle droids from Star Wars: Episode I. The Ninebot, priced between $450 and $1300, figures to make an impact on the hoverboard market if it received UL certification.

We’re not sure what the next move is for companies like PhunkeeDuck and IO Hawk, who manufactured high-end (read: more expensive) hoverboards, of which they sold thousands when self-balancing scooters blew up — no pun intended — last year. PhunkeeDuck claims that their battery cells are UL certified, but it’s unclear whether the boards are altogether safe. IO Hawk has made no such claims.

Another likely big player is Razor, the company that made those scooters that were super popular for approximately six months that one time. Razor pulled their self-balancing scooter, styled as the Hovertrax, from stores following the rash of hoverboard explosions and fires, but expect them to make a big return to the marketplace once their boards meet safety standards.